Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Hanoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Hanoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $549 in Kandy versus $758 in Hanoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $862 in Kandy versus $1,233 in Hanoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,175 in Kandy versus $1,708 in Hanoi.

Living in Kandy costs roughly 28% less than in Hanoi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 59% lower, Hanoi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 LKR 877

$1.96 ₫51.4K

41.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.69 LKR 3,700

$26.46 ₫694.4K

-55.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 LKR 2,087

$4.70 ₫123.4K

40.43%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 825

$1.85 ₫48.6K

41.08%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 193

$0.48 ₫12.7K

27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 LKR 94.5

$0.25 ₫6,529

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 670

$0.93 ₫24.5K

127.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$1.95 ₫51.1K

72.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 LKR 458

$1.37 ₫36.0K

5.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 177

$0.99 ₫25.9K

-43.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 275

$0.84 ₫22.2K

3.57%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 674

$1.51 ₫39.7K

41.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 LKR 2,832

$9.14 ₫240.0K

-2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 LKR 1,511

$3.74 ₫98.2K

27.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.12 LKR 2,570

$9.50 ₫249.4K

-14.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,467

$3.37 ₫88.4K

37.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 324

$1.02 ₫26.9K

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 LKR 1,150

$1.62 ₫42.5K

124.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 398

$1.13 ₫29.6K

11.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 362

$1.02 ₫26.7K

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 390

$1.00 ₫26.4K

23.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 LKR 245

$0.56 ₫14.7K

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 177

$0.54 ₫14.1K

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 LKR 2,928

$1.37 ₫36.0K

575.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 LKR 3,814

$14.27 ₫374.4K

-15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 652

$0.97 ₫25.5K

112.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 LKR 858

$1.74 ₫45.6K

55.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.3

$0.34 ₫8,903

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.20 LKR 4,810

$7.82 ₫205.2K

94.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 132

$0.74 ₫19.4K

-43.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 111

$0.57 ₫15.0K

-38.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 LKR 128

$1.67 ₫43.7K

-76.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 384

$0.89 ₫23.4K

35.96%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

$38.4K ₫1.0B

-53.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

$32.3K ₫848.6M

-34.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

$80.8 ₫2.1M

-49.89%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.27 LKR 1,353

$5.27 ₫138.2K

-18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,737

$8.50 ₫223.0K

76.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.12 LKR 4,784

$28.54 ₫749.0K

-47.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 LKR 1,841

$11.14 ₫292.4K

-47.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,077

$3.89 ₫102.1K

-12.60%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

$262 ₫6.9M

-86.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$321 LKR 101.5K

$11.7K ₫307.0M

-97.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.83 LKR 8,808

$45.22 ₫1.2M

-38.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.44 LKR 4,569

$23.02 ₫604.2K

-37.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

$89.9 ₫2.4M

-36.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.77 LKR 9,423

$71.8 ₫1.9M

-58.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 LKR 41.9K

$330 ₫8.7M

-59.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

$250 ₫6.6M

-65.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 LKR 69.8K

$776 ₫20.4M

-71.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 LKR 51.0K

$602 ₫15.8M

-73.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$428 LKR 135.3K

$4,338 ₫113.9M

-90.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$417 LKR 132.0K

$2,449 ₫64.3M

-82.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 LKR 87.6K

$501 ₫13.2M

-44.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

64.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kandy: April 21, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $132 in Kandy and $330 in Hanoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 81% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12 in Kandy vs $26 in Hanoi. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $193, with Hanoi cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kandy vs Hanoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy and Hanoi differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($549 vs $758 including rent). Kandy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Hanoi earns 81% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $132 in Kandy versus $330 in Hanoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 94% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $36.64 in Kandy versus $262 in Hanoi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kandy gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kandy and Hanoi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.